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An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.

Donovan owes TRUE Skool an apology

Political theater is one thing. It’s what Milwaukeeans have come to expect from Ald. Robert G. Donovan. But to look a group of young people in the eye and call their art and their efforts at bettering the community and themselves “crap” is something else altogether. »Read Full Blog Post

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True Skool is an organization that promotes legal & illegal graffiti. Bob Donovan is right and I know that for a fact! Do some research on their students(new and Old). ES Crew ring a bell? Atleast 90% of their student end up doing illegal graffiti..

Aerosol art is amazing, but those taggers shouldn't be rewarded for doing criminal acts while we sleep..

Ms. Schumacher, your article demonstrates your ignorance. If this "art" is so desired, so in demand, so worthy of acceptance, or so wonderful as you seem to think, why is it that it is only found in the inner cities and blighted areas of the world? How come we never have murals and other examples of this type "fine art" in all neighborhoods so everyone may appreciate these classic works?

The reason is there are only a very small few who like this rubbish being pushed off as art, and they only consider it art for all the wrong reasons.

Real art is recognized for reasons of beauty, insight, and actual skill demonstrated within a particular medium. Not for how wonderful some at risk youngster can create something instead of causing trouble.

If true skool would actually teach students to create using proper medium...say like perhaps a canvas, then the real talent could possibly shine through for all to appreciate.

Graffiti is not art, it is vandalism. Pretending that these murals are something that is wanted, needed, or appropriate is foolish.

The whole community is our neighborhood. He showed leadership and condemned this menace. He's the Chairman of Public Safety, which has been significantly inpacted by this sign of disorder. If they want to do actual art then find better places (such as canvas) and place the art in places people want it, but this appears to be grafiti and will only attract more, unlkie what you show in your picture in Philly.

She does not owe Donovan an apology. Donovan acted like the screaming, arm-waving, egotistical, maniacal lunatic that he is. Legal or illegal aspect of grafitti aside, there is a professional way to deal with an issue like this, and, once again, Donovan chose another approach. I don't like the grafitti either, but there is a more important issue here. He could have used this as a teaching moment to reach these young people and steer them in a more approriate direction, and he blew it.

Mary- Invite them to 'paint' on your garage or house legally and lets see how long your community supports you. Your elitist views work well looking down into lower income neighborhoods telling them whats right and wrong and acceptable or not. With all the people looking to work hard for jobs I can't believe you actually have one.

I went to the links WeRock put up. There was illegal graffiti. I fail to see how this is connected to True Skool. Were members of the school caught doing this? If not then this cold have been any number of youth in the city. If True Skool does in fact donate time to graffiti removal, then I would think there members would not actively engage in putting up what they must take down.

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